Uganda: Journalist Commits Suicide, Leaves Note

Ugandan Police in Rakai District are investigating circumstances under which a journalist attached to Kooki Broadcasting Services (KBS) reportedly killed himself while leaving a suicide note behind.

Before ingesting paraquat, a poisonous substance that is frequently used as a herbicide (plant killer), primarily for the control of weeds and grass, Brian Kasibante, 26, was said to have written a suicide note on Tuesday informing his friends and family about his decision.

He passed away on Wednesday morning at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital, where he had been taken on a medical emergency on Tuesday night.

One of Kasibante's coworkers, Nicholas Kakeeto, claimed that Kasibante frequently argued with his two wives, which he believes may have contributed to his decision to commit suicide.

“He has been telling us stories of the disagreements with his wives, but we thought this was a simple matter and we ignored it. 

"When we learnt that he had decided to drink a herbicide (paraquat) to die, we were so shocked,” he said in a telephone interview.

“He sent several messages before writing a note where he advised police not to investigate the matter or arrest anyone since he decided to end his own life,”  Kakeeto added.

“I have been talking to him daily but had no idea he was troubled. 

"I last saw a write-up on his WhatsApp status talking about how he was going to commit suicide, I tried calling him, but his phones were off, something that worried us the most,” Betty Nabichu, a news anchor at the same station said.

According to a hospital employee who asked to remain anonymous, Kasibante ingested about 30ml of paraquat, which caused his entire body system to become disorganized.